Centre of attention: Sergio Perez is under increased scrutiny this year (Picture: AFP/Getty)

On paper, McLaren are in a precarious position this season: Their prodigal driver, Lewis Hamilton, has gone. His decision to defect to Mercedes, after 15 years of alignment with McLaren, left chairman Ron Dennis and team principal Martin Whitmarsh shell-shocked.

Panicked, they immediately signed Sergio Perez who, at the time, was flavour of the month. ‘Chico’ Perez is a talented kid, no doubt. He proved that last season with three podiums for Sauber. But he’s still a gamble.

McLaren expects its drivers to win, and often. How will the 23-year-old Mexican cope with the pressure? After the move was announced following last year’s Singapore Grand Prix, he made a lot of mistakes and failed to score a single point in those final six races. Whitmarsh put a brave face on, but doubts were already seeping in.

Then, a few days ago, it was revealed technical director Paddy Lowe will join Lewis at Mercedes at the end of this year. Tim Goss (pictured) has been promoted from within to take Lowe’s old role, but these things take time to bed in. A new TD three weeks ahead of the first race of the season is not ideal.

New focus: Jenson Button can thrive as team leader (Picture: AP)

The MP4-28 was quick out of the box at its first text in Jerez but gave the team headaches two weeks later in Barcelona. Jenson Button admitted the team was struggling to understand the car. Doubtless, though, the creases will be ironed out before Melbourne.

Between Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren I expect it to be close this year. While Perez is a bit of an unknown, Button is a safe bet. Entering his fourth season with McLaren, he proved to be more than a match for Hamilton and will relish his promotion to No.1 status. He feels at home at McLaren and, if Red Bull fail to keep up their momentum from the end of last year and Fernando Alonso is sandbagged with a lame prancing horse, we may see Button surge through to win his second world championship.

Despite McLaren’s upheavals, everything could come up roses. Not such an annus horribilis, then.

‘I didn’t come here because Paddy [Lowe] was here, I didn’t come here because Lewis was here,’ says Jenson. ‘‘I came here because this is McLaren, with its strength in depth. It’s not about one individual. The team will succeed with or without Paddy.’

Nationality: British
Age: 33
Wins: 15
Poles: 8
Titles: 1
2012 position: 5th
Strengths: The best driver out there when it comes to judging the conditions and being on the right rubber. Now the No.1 in a top team, he’s got a great chance of winning his second title.
Weaknesses: Over one lap, he’s not as quick as Vettel, Alonso or Hamilton. This can be a handicap in qualifying, or in dry races.

SERGIO PEREZ

Nationality: Mexican

Age: 23
Wins: 0
Poles: 0
Titles: 0
2012 position: 10th
Strengths: Proved last year he knows how to fight at the front. His style is similar to Button, so the new car should suit them both.
Weaknesses: Still relatively inexperienced, McLaren is an all-new environment. After signing the McLaren deal, Perez’s driving was erratic, suggesting he was already feeling pressure.